In a recent study of home buyer preferences conducted by Avid Ratings Co featured in on one of our favorite blogs, Styled, Staged & Sold, we learned a lot about what today’s new home buyer is looking for. How does this relate to properly packaging, marketing and staging an existing home when going on the market? First of all, we can probably assume that these preferences would be applicable to those purchasing pre-owned homes as well. Since the definition of staging includes “preparing a property to appeal to the most number of buyers as possible” and this study shows us what most buyers are looking for, BINGO! We’ve got the ingredients for our action plan right before our eyes. Thanks to this study, we know where focusing our attention will yield the best ROI when staging a home to sell. Ready to get started? First let’s take a look at the Top 10 Features Buyers Want in a New Home:
1. Large kitchens with an island.
2. Energy-efficient appliances and high-efficiency insulation and windows. (These were the most sought-after “green” features from buyers.)
3. Home office or study
4. Main-floor master suite
5. Outdoor living room
6. Ceiling fans
7. Master suite soaker tubs and oversize showers with seating areas
8. Stone and brick exteriors
9. Community landscaping with walking paths and playgrounds.
In this blog series, we’re going to dig a little deeper and see how we can take this helpful information, and use it to help us in staging a pre-owned home. After all, you’ve got to be able to compete with new homes and well as other pre-owned homes if you’re putting your home on the market. This is a beauty contest you won’t want to lose!
Stay tuned for our next blog entry where we’ll discuss Item #1: Buyers want to see large kitchens with an island…
Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Ashley Whittenberger is the Principal and Chief Decorating Officer of Interiority Complex. You can visit Interiority Complex, access the free article archive of design prescriptions or learn more about home staging and creative design therapy at www.myinterioritycomplex.com. Ashley lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, son, two dogs, and two cats, and she is proud that she has learned to successfully live and thrive with her compulsive and chronic rearranging and re-designing disorders.
- What Home Buyers Want and How You Can Make It Happen: #2 Energy Efficient Features - July 24, 2010
- What Home Buyers Want and How You Can Make It Happen: #1 Large Kitchens - July 17, 2010
- What Home Buyers Want - June 20, 2010
